Sunderland Elementary School was put on an automatic lockdown for about 40 minutes Thursday after a robbery occurred at the Sunderland Subway at the intersection of Route 2 and Kent Road.

At approximately 9:10 a.m. Thursday, the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office received several 911 calls from the Sunderland Subway located at 40 Dalrymple Road in reference to an armed robbery, according to a press release from the Calvert Investigative Team.

After entering the business through the front door at approximately 9 a.m., the suspect, believed to be male, announced the robbery, displayed a firearm and proceeded to steal cash from the register, according to the release. The suspect’s face was covered with a mask, and he was wearing a black cap, black jacket, black trousers and dark-colored athletic shoes, the release states.

Deputies determined the suspect fled on foot and injured one of the victims by pushing him to the ground and kicking him several times in the face and body, the release states. The victim was taken to Calvert Memorial Hospital with injuries to the right side of his face, chest, back and left leg, according to the release.

Larry Titus, community resource and school safety specialist for Calvert County Public Schools, was contacted by the sheriff’s office, and the elementary school, which is in close proximity to the Subway location, was put on lockdown, Jones said, as a “precautionary measure.”

“In the event that something happens in close proximity to our schools, we always assess whatever that incident is and act accordingly,” Kim Roof, director of Student Services, said of the lockdown, which she also referred to as occurring “on a precautionary basis.”

“Nothing happened at the school, and none of our students and staff were in any danger,” Roof said. “We did it because [the event] was in close proximity to the school.”

The lockdown was lifted just before 10 a.m. after officials checked the surrounding area and there was no sign of the suspect, and “there was no general danger in that area,” Jones said.

The school system released an automatic email and phone call through the automated school messaging system, letting parents of Sunderland Elementary students know of the situation. The email informed parents of the lockdown and said their children were not in danger; the school system had taken precautionary measures; and law enforcement was taking care of the situation.

“We don’t take [the school] off of lockdown until law enforcement clears the area,” Roof said. “By the time [the email] went out, it was over.”

As of noon Monday, officials had not yet apprehended the suspect, and he is still at large.

Any persons with information pertaining to the robbery are asked to call the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office at 410-535-2800 or Calvert County Crime Solvers 410-535-2880. The investigation is being conducted by Detective Hawkins of the sheriff’s office.